Arbatel de Magia Veterum
(1575)

Isagoge: The Fourth Septenary of Aphorisms:
The Seven Secrets

Aphorism 22

We call that a secret which no man can attain unto by humane industry without revelation; which Science lieth obscured, hidden by God in the creature; [and] which nevertheless he doth permit to be revealed by Spirits, to a due use of the thing itself. And these secrets are either concerning things divine, natural or humane, but thou mayst examine a few, and the most select, which thou wilt commend with many more.

Aphorism 23

Make a beginning of the nature of the secret, either by a Spirit in the form of a person, or by virtues separate, either in humane Organs, or by what manner soever the same may be effected; and this being known, require of a Spirit which knoweth that art, that he would briefly declare unto thee whatsoever that secret is; and pray unto God, that he would inspire thee with his grace, whereby thou maist bring the secret to the end thou desireth, for the praise and glory of God, and the profit of thy neighbour.

Aphorism 24

The greatest secrets are number seven.

  1. The first is the curing of all diseases in the space of seven days, either by character or by natural things or by the superior Spirits with the divine assistance.
  2. The second is to be able to prolong life to whatsoever age we please -- I say, a corporal and natural life.
  3. The third is to have the obedience of the creatures in the elements which are in the forms of personal Spirits; also of Pigmies [Spirits of the four elements; paracels], Sagani, Nymphes, Dryades, and Spirits of the woods.
  4. The fourth is to be able to discourse with knowledge and understanding of all things visible and invisible, and to understand the power of everything and to what it belongeth.
  5. The fifth is that a man be able to govern himself according to that end for which God hath appointed him.
  6. The sixth is to know God and Christ and his holy Spirit: this is the perfection of the Microcosmus.
  7. The seventh, to be regenerate as Henochius, the King of the inferiour world.

These seven secrets a man of an honest and constant minde may learn of the Spirits, without any offence unto God.

The mean Secrets are likewise seven in number.

  1. The first is the transmutation of metals, which is vulgarly called Alchymy, which certainly is given to very few, and not but of special grace.
  2. The second is the curing of diseases with metals, either by the magnetick virtues of precious stones or by the use of the Philosopher's Stone, and the like.
  3. The third is to be able to perform astronomical and mathematical miracles, such as are Hydraulick engines, to administer business by the influence of Heaven, and things which are of the like sort.
  4. The fourth is to perform the works of natural Magick, of what sort soever they be.
  5. The fifth is to know all Physical secrets.
  6. The sixth is to know the foundation of all Arts which are exercised with the hands and offices of the body.
  7. The seventh is to know the foundation of all Arts which are exercised by the Angelical nature of Man.

The lesser secrets are seven.

  1. The first is to do a thing diligently and to gather together much money.
  2. The second is to ascend from a mean state to dignities and honours, and to establish a newer family, which may be illustrious and do great things.
  3. The third is to excel in military affairs and happily to achieve to great things, and to be an head of the head of Kings and Princes.
  4. The fourth is to be a good housekeeper both in the Country and City.
  5. The fifth is, to be an industrious and fortunate Merchant.
  6. The sixth is to be a Philosopher, Mathematician, and Physician, according to Aristotle, Plato, Ptolomy, Euclides, Hippocrates, and Galen.
  7. The seventh is to be a Divine according to the Bible and Schooles, which all writers of divinity both old and new have taught.

Aphorism 25

We have already declared what a secret is [and] the kindes and species thereof. It remaineth now to shew how we may attain to know those things which we desire.

The true and only way to all secrets is to have recourse unto God the Author of all good, and as Christ teacheth:

  1. "In the first place seek ye the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."
  2. "Also, see that your hearts be not burdened with suffering, and drunkenness and the cares of this life."
  3. "Also, commit your cares unto the Lord, and he will do it."
  4. "Also, I, the Lord thy God, do teach thee what things are profitable for thee and do guide thee in the way wherein thou walkest."
  5. "And I will give thee understanding, and will teach thee in the way wherein thou shalt go, and I will guide thee with my eye."
  6. "Also, if you which are evil, know how to give good things to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give his holy Spirit to them that ask him?"
  7. If you will do the will of my Father, which is in heaven, you are truly my disciples and we will come unto you and make our abode with you."

If you draw these seven places of Scripture from the letter unto the Spirit, or into action, thou canst not err, but shalt attain to the desired bound; thou shalt not err from the mark, and God himself by his holy Spirit will teach thee true and profitable things. He will give also his ministring Angels unto thee, to be thy companions, helpers, and teachers of all the secrets of the world, and he will command every creature to be obedient unto thee, so that cheerfully rejoycing thou mayst say with the Apostles that the Spirits are obedient unto thee, so that at length thou shalt be certain of the greatest thing of all, that thy name is written in Heaven.

Aphorism 26

There is another way which is more common, that secrets may be revealed unto thee also, when thou art unwitting thereof, either by God or by Spirits which have secrets in their power or by dreams or by strong imaginations and impressions or by the constellation of a nativity by celestial knowledge. After this manner are made heroick men, such as there are very many, and all learned men in the world, Plato, Aristotle, Hippocrates, Galen, Euclides, Archimedes, Hermes Trismegistus, the father secrets, with Theophrastus, Paracelsus -- all which men had in themselves all the virtues of secrets. Hitherto also are referred Homer, Hesiod, Orpheus, Pytagoras, but these had not such gifts of secrets as the former. To this are referred the Nymphes and sons of Melusina and [the] Gods of the Gentiles: Achilles, Æneas, Hercules; also, Cyrus, Alexander the great, Julius Cæsar, Lucullus, Sylla, [and] Marius.

It is a canon that everyone know his own Angel and that he obey him according to the word of God, and let him beware of the snares of the evil Angel, lest he be involved in the calamities of Brute and Marcus Antonius. To this refer the book of Jovianus Pontanus of Fortune and his Eutichus.

The third way is diligent and hard labor, without which no great thing can be obtained from the divine Deity worthy admiration, as it is said:

Tu nihil invita dices facie sue Minerva.
[Nothing canst thou do or say against Minerva's will.]

We do detest all evil Magicians, who make themselves associates with the devils with their unlawful superstitions, and do obtain and effect some things which God permitteth to be done, instead of the punishment of the devils. So also they do other evil acts, the devil being the author, as the Scripture testifie of Judas. To these are referred all idolaters of old and of our age and abusers of Fortune, such as the heathens are full of. And to these do appertain all Charontick evocation of Spirits, the works of Saul with the woman, and Lucanus' prophesie of the deceased soldier, concerning the event of the Pharsalian war, and the like.

Aphorism 27

Make a Circle with a center A, which is B, C, D, E. At the East let there be BC, a square. At the North, CD. At the West, DE. And at the South, E[B].

Divide the several quadrants into seven parts, that there may be in the whole 28 parts, and let them be again divided into four parts, that there may be 112 parts of the Circle -- and so many are the true secrets to revealed. And this Circle, in this manner divided, is the Seal of the Secrets of the World, which they draw from the only center A, that is, from the invisible God, unto the whole creature.

The Prince of the Oriental secrets is resident in the middle, and hath three Nobles on either side, every one whereof hath four under him, and the Prince himself hath four appertaining unto him. And in this manner the other Princes and Nobles have their quadrants of secrets, with their four secrets.

But the Oriental Secret is the study of all wisdom; the West, of strength; the South, of tillage; the North, of more rigid life. So that the Eastern secrets are commended to be the best; the Meridian to be mean; and the [West] and North to be lesser.

The use of this seal of secrets is that, thereby, thou mayst know whence the Spirits or Angels are produced, which may teach the secrets delivered unto them from God. But they have names taken from their offices and powers, according to the gift which God hath severally distributed to every one of them. One hath the power of the sword; another, of the pestilence; and another, of inflicting famine upon the people, as it is ordained by God. Some are destroyers of Cities, as those two were, who were sent to overthrow Sodom and Gomorrha, and the places adjacent, examples whereof the holy Scripture witnesseth. Some are the watch-men over Kingdoms; others the keepers of private persons; and from thence, anyone may easily form their names in his own language, so that he which will, may ask a physical Angel, mathematical or philosophical, or an Angel of civil wisdom, or of supernatural or natural wisdom, or for anything whatsoever. And let him ask seriously, with a great desire of his minde, and with faith and constancy and without doubt -- that which he asketh he shall receive from the Father and God of all Spirits. This faith surmounteth all seals, and bringeth them into subjection to the will of man. The Characteristical manner of calling Angels succeedeth this faith, which dependeth only on divine revelation, but without the said faith preceding it, it lieth in obscurity.

Nevertheless, if anyone will use them for a memorial, and not otherwise, and as a thing simply created by God to his purpose, to which such a spiritual power or essence is bound, he may use them without any offence unto God. But let him beware, lest that he fall into idolatry and the snares of the devil, who with his cunning sorceries easily deceiveth the unwary. And he is not taken but only by the finger of God, and is appointed to the service of man, so that they unwillingly serve the godly, but not without temptations and tribulations, because the commandment hath it that he shall bruise the heel of Christ; the seed of the woman.

We are therefore to exercise ourselves about spiritual things with fear and trembling and with great reverence towards God, and to be conversant in spiritual essences with gravity and justice. And he which medleth with such things, let him beware of all levity, pride, covetousness, vanity, envy and ungodliness, unless he will miserably perish.

Aphorism 28

Because all good is from God, who is only good. Those things which we would obtain of him, we ought to seek them by prayer in Spirit and Truth, and a simple heart. The conclusion of the secret of secrets is that every one exercise himself in prayer, for those things which he desires, and he shall not suffer a repulse. Let not anyone despise prayer, for by whom God is prayed unto, to him he both can and will give. Now let us acknowledge him the Author, from whom let us humbly seek for our desires. A merciful & good Father, loveth the sons of desires, as Daniel, and sooner heareth us, then we are able to overcome the hardness of our hearts to pray. But he will not that we give holy things to dogs nor despise and condemn the gifts of his treasury. Therefore, diligently and often read over and over the first Septenary of secrets, and guide and direct thy life and all thy thoughts according to those precepts; and all things shall yield to the desires of thy minde in the Lord, to whom thou trustest.

The Fifth Septenary